Electric switch



J. S. IIMMONS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1919.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

UNITED STATES JOHN S. TIMMONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. r

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 21, 1922.

7 Application filed July 18, 1919. Serial No. 811,177.

and more particularly to the type emplo d' hein the control of telephone circuits. particular advantage of the invention is in its application to the control of'telephone switches contained in a water-tight casing SllCh as that described in my co-pending application for a casing for telephone sets, .Se-

rial. No. 294,441, filed May3, 1919.

An object of the invention is to provide for the ready manipulation of circuits by the movement of a part on the exterior of such a casing when the contact or switch devices themselves are protected within the casing. A further object of the invention is to provi'de an electric switchwhich may be completely assembled and disassembled with expedition and dispatch. A further object of the invention is to provide such a switch as can readily be carried by the hinged cover of the casing of a telephone set. A still further object of the invention is to provide an efficient water seal between the exterior manipulating arts and the interior contact devices. Likewise, it is an'object to protect the projecting manipulating parts against mechanical injury and, at the same time, prevent injury to any of the essential movable parts of t e switch, even when the mechanism is subjected to rough usage.

A still further object of the invention is to produce an extremely simple, cheap and readily inspected switch mechanism for the control of electric circuits and one which is adaptable, with minimum alteration, to various types of control with substantially standard mechanism.

A preferred and modified embodiment of my invention is shown in the drawings and described in the following specification merely for the purpose of illustration, and the accompanying claims are to be considered as explained rather than limited thereby.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a'fra mentary horizontal section taken along line X of Fig. 3, through the face plate or door of a casing for a telephone set, with parts of the switch mechanism shown in plan;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the face plate showing the switch mechanism in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an interior elevation of the switch mechanism;

Fi 4 is a view correspondin to Fig. 2 but rawn to 'a reduced scale an showing a modification;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the modification of Pi 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view 0 one form of a switch-bloc and a Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another form. of switch-block.

The face plate or door 2 serves as a mounting fortheswitch mechanism and for each switch is preferably formed with an inwardl extending nipple 3 cast integrally with t e face plate, the interior 4 of which is outwardly flaredto facilitate drains e and assemblin This recess 4 is prefera l superposed a semi-circular roof-like ange a serving as a water-shed and protector for the fin er-ke or finger-lever 6, which is suitably farmed as a mechanical part of the throw-shaft 5 as by being secured to the. same, the pin 7 satisfactorily serving this purpose. his finger key 6 normall 18 designed to occupy a vertically depen ent position and serves asa finger o rable handlp with a movement to left or rig t between the stops 6 and a formed on the face late 2. The counter-sinking of the finger ever 6 within the nipple opening 4 and also its protection by the shed 0. makes it practically imossible for the mechanism to receive such a low as might bend the throw-shaft 5. Any likely blow received by the same will tend to shift the lever or key from side to side,,'its yielding relieving theshaft 5 from injury;

The shaft5 passes freely through the hearing opening (1 in'the nipple 3 into the cavity on the inner side of the face late 2, where the shaft is provided preferab y with a flattened portion 5' or any other formations servin the purpose of a, key-way.

Pac in washers 8 and 9 of suitable material such as rubber, leather or brass, either both of the same kind of material or of different materials, are located preferably between the butt of the finger lever 6 and the bottom wall of the cavity 4 to serve as a water Seal.

The inner end of the shaft 5 ma likewise be fitted with similar washers 1 and 18 which, however, are preferably brass and i of the shaft 5.

- tioning of the grally with the face its seat in the one or more switch serve as spacers for the inner endblocks 10, sli

ing 10' co M I I to the non-circular contour of the so that they are lock against rotation relatively to the shaft 5 and are rotatably operable by the said shaft. I two or more blocks 10 are to be employed on a single shaft 6, it is preferable that they be spaced by suitable means such as a washer 10" of less diameter than the blocks.

In the embodiment of 1, 2 and3 the rotatable mechanism is maintained assembled by a compression sp '19 surrounding the inner end of the shaft andheld in sition by a washer 20 which is provided with extending flange 20', serving as an essem .washer to lock the asembly pin the inner end of the shaft. or the inand washer 21'and 20- side a releasable stop the face plate 2 the spring 19 reacts to force the butt of the lager ledver 6 firmly against The pin I 17 and 18,- so' that all parts are held against ra d so that'any wear is automatically ta on up.

'Each switch block 1 0 has one or more 111-. dially extended switch 0 rating parts such as the corners c or s. shown the switch blocks are preferably moulded from suitable insulat" materia such. as electro e or balrelite an the core switch blocks may be provided with more or less circularly extensive cylindrical portions f coaxial with theaxisof the shaft5which 5.2.2 e e. a an as an prem eiich against one ortwo pf-theradi lly extended parts a of'a switch. block the P081- blocks and up mg each resilience tends to he (1 the fiwr position n finger springs Hand 12 set of a plurality of 1s 23 and 29 provided, as is customary, with contact devices24 and 30 l'wlpedjvely. ese sets of springs are suitab y mounted and insulated through-the medium of insulating 28 upon a bracket 22, whic is conveniently fixed to a boss 22, preferably formed inteplate 2, through the mescrews 22, nnections with the from the fingers 23 and 29 a ever see blocks have an openb rtipn of the shaft 5 b I i 21, .whichfipasses tlirou h' l a becomwh ich andf the The reaction of the ring traverses one or more blocks 10 and :he washers sp the embodiment l ICOIHFIBSSIOD spring 19 "rect y ture are provided by the terminal eyes 23'. It is to be understood that an reasonable numer of spring fingers may e associated with a switch block in each set and that the numf a single switch block.

en the switch block of F1 7 is emloyed as shown in Fi 3, a cloc wise rotation .of theshaft 5 cFses only the ispring fingers 23, the c lindrical portion 7 having owever, a counter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 5 closes both the spring fingers 23 and the spring fingers 29 through the pressure exerted by the radiall extended portions e and e, whereas e a one functioned with a cloc 'se movement. If the switch block of Fig. 6-were enip oyed only one setof spr' fingers at a time wbuld be operated upoli a throw of the rkey operating the throw-shaft 5.

specially when the inward projection of s a ft 5 is considerable, 1t

modify .the structure bearin on a. ater extension h for the inner an of the shaft 5, which passes through it. A perforation i is preferably provided in this arm to provide screw-driver access tothe underying screw 22. In this embodiment the bears and reacts diy against the arm h and thro h the arm h against the face plate 2. with this mo cation the 7 face p ate bearing strucbe that of the embodiment of Fi Ber, if desired, the butt of the 6 1iger lever B may have a conical bearing working in a conical recess in in the nipple 3, which is eflicient in roviding itself a watertight union, especia y when close contact is maintained through .the medium of the spring 19. 1

What is claimed and what is desired to be secured by United'States Letters Patent is:

switch comprising a rotecting faceplate; a throw-shaftrotata ly mounted in and passing through said face late and hav- 115 ing provisions to prevent the inward movement of said "shaft; one or more switchblocks axially slidable on said shaft but fixed against rotation relatively thereto and hav: ing radially extended switch operatin parts; a releasable shaft ers to protecting facely mounted in plate and havinward movement of said shaft and providing a watertight seal a ainst said face plate; one or more switchlocks axially slidable ,on said shaft but fixed against rotation relatively thereto and having radially extended switch 0 eratin parts; a releasable stop on the end 0 said s aft; and a compression spring on said shaft reacting between one of said one or more blocks and said stop, whereby the assembled parts have an automatic take-up against wear.

3. In an electric switch, a rotary throwshaft having a sto -portion a fixed bearing member for said s aft, itself alone permitting both axial and rotary movement of said shaft; one or more switch operating parts axially movable on said shaft but fixed against rotation thereon; and a take-up spring releasably attached against axial movement to said shaft and reacting against said bearing member to draw said stop ortion against said bearing member an to maintain all parts operatively assembled while facilitating disassembling.

4. An electric switch comprising a face plate providing a transverse bearing; a

throw-shaft having an external finger-key and mounted to rotate in said bearing; one or more switch-blocks non-rotatably fixed to said shaft inside of said face plate and each having radially extended switch 0 crating parts; and one or more spring switc -fingers normally pressing against one or more of said switch operating parts to hold said finger-key in normal position and operable by a mam ulation of said key to operate one or mOle 0 said spring switch fingers.

5. A switch comprising a rotecting face plate; a throw-shaft rotatab y mounted in passing through said face plate and having provislons to prevent the inward movement of said shaft; one or more switch blocks axially slidable against said shaft but fixed a amst rotation relatively thereto and rovlded with finger operating means; an resilient means reacting between the end of said shaft and the nearest switch block to maintain the assemble of the parts.

In witness whereo I have signed my name to this specification, this 29th day of May, 1919.

JOHN S. TIMMONS. 

